Reusable channel containing medical devices such as endoscopes, and minimally invasive devices, are widely used for a variety of non-invasive and invasive surgical procedures and are noted as being difficult to decontaminate due to lack of sufficient penetration of gas or liquid through their entire length and lack of sufficient contact times. Of particular concern are blockages of such narrow devices, due to the buildup or deposition of soil that will impede the flow of liquid and gases, or leakage as caused by connection of the devices that can often go unnoticed by users and staff.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,279,799 relates to an apparatus for cleaning and testing endoscopes by injecting pressurized air into the sheath and pressurized air and washing liquid into the ducts, and monitoring the same. A washing chamber is provided which contains retractable cages to hold the endoscopes during cleaning and testing. The cages include a coupler for detachably connecting tubes supplying the air and washing liquid to the endoscopes. The cages also have markings for automatically activating the apparatus when a cage containing an endoscope is inserted into the washing chamber. The apparatus further requires a tight attachment of a connector to the said lumen to allow for the flow of air. With these connectors, there is a risk of occlusion of material at the contact sites, which do not allow for adequate contact with cleaning and disinfection chemistries during the decontamination process.
Some cleaning and/or disinfection systems utilize connectors that can have leakage around contact points, but the detection of adequate flow is often difficult. Other systems describe using liquid under pressure to permit flow through lumens of medical devices in the absence of any connectors, but likewise they cannot ensure that all lumens are free-flowing.